Calculated out of 10, the repairability index, displayed on the label of certain products, gives an idea of the ease with which they can be repaired. After its launch in January 2021, many players highlighted one of its weak points: it is the product manufacturers who assign their own scores, and not an independent body. In 2021, the Ministry of Ecology declared to the World rely on the vigilance of the competition policeman, the DGCCRF, the general directorate for consumer competition and the repression of fraud, and that of consumer associations. In study published on 1er Marchthe Halte à l’obsolescence programmed (HOP) association wanted to check the repairability ratings of six products.
To perform these complex calculations based on dozens of criteria, HOP sought the help of repair experts. In five out of six cases, the manufacturers’ ratings seemed to him to be overvalued. Apple’s iPhone 7+ thus receives a corrected score 5.8/10, against 6.4/10 according to Apple: many spare parts are difficult to access and various pieces of documentation are missing. The Samsung A41 is rated 6.6/10 by HOP, against 8/10 by its manufacturer: the components of these mobiles are too expensive, and its battery is not removable, under penalty of risking a fire starting by melting the glue that holds it together.
HOP calls on the State to set up an independent control of ratings and then to clarify certain criteria: their interpretation is subject, according to it, to too much room for interpretation. HOP also makes several proposals for revised rating grids in order to avoid, for example, that a television with particularly expensive spare parts, or a smartphone that is extremely difficult to disassemble, nevertheless receives a flattering repairability index.
A useful clue
In his study, HOP provides an overall analysis of the index, one year after its appearance. On several points, its conclusions are positive: for the association, the index is judged “healthy”, and the criteria on which it is based, appropriate. She considers his notoriety good: 55% of the consumers questioned by him know him. HOP points out that the index has already had an impact on consumer behavior by helping them choose more durable smartphones. The association notes that some brands have made progress by providing, for example, detailed technical documentation.
But, according to HOP, other points deserve to be improved. If the index is generally clearly visible for smartphones, it is insufficiently visible for laptops. In general, the visibility of ratings could be improved if the State required manufacturers to mention them in their advertisements. The rating also deserves, according to the association, to be tightened for certain categories of products, as the average rating seems high. Finally, HOP calls on the State to extend the repairability index to products other than the five already concerned, i.e. smartphones, laptops, televisions, lawnmowers and washing machines. porthole laundry.